Quality Enhancement Plan Submitted to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools On-Site Review - September 20 22, 2011 (Revised QEP Document)

Transcription

1 Learning is a Journey Come SAIL With Us: Strengthening Academic Internet Learning Quality Enhancement Plan Submitted to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools On-Site Review - September 20 22, 2011 (Revised QEP Document) Dr. Patricia Skinner, College President Dr. Dewey Dellinger, Associate Vice-President of Academic Affairs and SACS Liaison

2

3 Table of Contents Table of Figures... iii Table of Tables... iv Executive Summary... 1 College Profile... 3 Process Used to Identify and Develop QEP... 4 QEP Topic Selection... 4 Key Terms... 7 Profile of Distance Education at Gaston College... 8 Development of Online Course Standards... 9 Planning and Development of the QEP Development of SAIL Course Standards and Rubric Gaston College SAIL Standards Course Introduction Learning Outcomes Assessment Strategies Instructional Materials Interaction Course Navigation and Technology Student Support Accessibility Significance of the QEP Desired Student Learning Outcomes Literature Review and Best Practices Demographics of Community College Students Online Course Quality Importance of Course Design and Clear Expectations Importance of Collaboration Importance of Technology and Support Importance of Quality Online Instructors Conclusion Assumptions and Limitations of QEP Implementation Plan Wave 1 Implementation Process Wave 2 Implementation Process Wave 3 Implementation Process i

4 Comprehensive Assessment Plan Direct Measures of Assessment Determination of Success Indirect Measures of Assessment Conclusion Organizational Structure for QEP Implementation SAIL Resources and Budget Human Resources Equipment Operational References Appendix Appendix A: Gaston College Academic Programs Appendix B: Committee Membership Rosters Appendix C: QEP Topic Identification Survey Appendix D: QEP Topic Assessment Rubric Summary Appendix E: Gaston College Strategic Plan ( ) Appendix F: Pilot Project Checklist Appendix G: Student Brainstorming Session Questions and Responses Appendix H: Instructional Technology Specialist Job Description Appendix I: Assessment Specialist Job Description Appendix J: SAIL Quality Review Process and Application Appendix K: SAIL Student Course Survey Appendix L: Professional Development Assessment/Evaluation Form ii

5 Table of Figures Figure 1: Growth of online course sections offered since academic year Figure 2: Organizational Structure for QEP Implementation iii

6 Table of Tables Table 1: Represents a summary of courses meeting the quality standards by academic year Table 2: Represents a summary of the brainstorming session topics and participants Table 3: Represents direct impact of SAIL on student learning Table 4: Wave Courses and Faculty Table 5: Wave Timeline Table 6: Implementation Plan Details Table 7: Direct Assessment Plan Details Table 8: Implementation Plan Details Table 9: Direct Assessment Plan Details Table 10: Implementation Plan Details Table 11: Direct Assessment Plan Details Table 12: Indirect Assessment Plan Details Table 13: Represents In-Kind Costs Summary for SAIL Table 14: Represents Direct QEP Costs Summary for SAIL Table 15: Represents the QEP Costs for Human Resources Table 16: Represents the QEP Costs for Equipment Table 17: Represents the QEP Costs for Operations iv

7 Executive Summary In support of the Gaston College mission to promote student success and lifelong learning through high caliber, affordable, and comprehensive educational programs and services, Gaston College has developed a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) called Strengthening Academic Internet Learning (SAIL). The goal of SAIL is to provide a high quality learning experience for students in online courses. This will be accomplished by creating and implementing standards for online course design and delivery based on best practices in distance education. Gaston College will measure the success of SAIL by comparing the achievement of course level Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) in selected online courses to their traditional seated counterparts using a uniformly-delivered course assessment of SLOs as a gauge. During the last ten years, Gaston College has seen unprecedented growth in student demand for more flexible course offerings. Online courses help community colleges serve students whose job and family situations compete with their ability to attend traditional classes. Gaston College first offered courses via the Internet during academic year Eight Internet courses were offered. Last year ( ), the College delivered 443 online course sections, serving 4,760 students, representing 53% of the total curriculum student population. Over the years, the College has guided online instruction by maintaining an Online Instruction Committee (OIC) charged with identifying and implementing established best practices in online course delivery. In 2007, this committee established a voluntary pilot project, Gaston College Online Quality Initiative, certifying online courses which utilized these best practices. Over 100 courses were evaluated for quality during the pilot project. Expansion of this pilot project seemed to be a natural fit for a strong QEP. Faculty indicated that a more positive learning experience for online students resulted from strengthening online course quality. Faculty suggested that improvements still needed to be made to the quality standards and more reliable data collected to accurately evaluate the project s success. A QEP Implementation Team was created by the College president to further evaluate the project, glean stakeholder input, and refine the direction of SAIL. Many important issues related to online learning surfaced during the project evaluation, but the consensus among faculty, staff, students, and the community was that a focus on improved course quality would provide the greatest impact on student learning. A review of best practices in distance education and a thorough literature review supported this decision. The College uses assessment of SLOs to measure student learning. Further investigation of the pilot project revealed that SLOs were not being consistently measured between online and seated traditional courses, rendering the previous comparative data unreliable. The standardization of course level SLOs assessment became an important part of the project. Over the life of SAIL, designated online courses will be required to create an ideal online environment for student learning and measure the achievement of course level SLOs. Data indicating student performance on course level SLOs will be compared between each online course and its seated traditional counterpart to determine if students are experiencing the same level of learning in both modalities. SAIL is a five-year project involving three waves of five courses each for a total of 15 courses. Each year assessment results will be used to make improvements. A review of SAIL and its impact will be conducted during year five. The benefit of Gaston College s QEP, SAIL, is threefold. It supports the College s mission to promote student learning, responds to the increased demand in distance education, and expands the College s commitment to online course excellence and to distance education as a viable method of course delivery. 1

8 2 Gaston College

9 College Profile Gaston College serves the communities within Gaston and Lincoln counties. The College currently enrolls over 6,000 students each term in curriculum programs and averages over 23,000 students annually in Continuing Education programs. Sixty-three percent of Gaston College students are from Gaston County, and 20% are from Lincoln County, 51% are male and 49% are female. Seventy-five percent are Caucasian, 15% are African-American, and 4% are Hispanic. Fifty-three percent attend day classes. While 38% of curriculum students are in college transfer programs, Gaston College offers over 100 academic programs including two year associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates. Technical and vocational programs prepare students to immediately enter the workforce with up-to-date skills and knowledge. To view a list of all academic programs see Appendix A. Gaston College was chartered in 1963 and has been in continuous operation since it began its first classes in temporary headquarters in Dallas in September Gaston College was initially accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in The College is granted authority to award degrees, diplomas, and certificates by the State of North Carolina and the State Board of Community Colleges as one of 58 public community colleges in North Carolina. Gaston College employs approximately 400 full-time faculty and staff, making it one of the leading employers in the area. Since academic year , annual curriculum enrollment has increased 55%. Gaston College is comprised of three campuses. The main campus is located in Gaston County in the town of Dallas. The Lincoln Campus is located in Lincolnton in Lincoln County. Gaston College s first presence in Lincoln County was in In 1998, the College moved to the current location at 511 South Aspen Street. Curriculum programs, as well as other credit and continuing education classes, are offered at this location. The newest campus, the Kimbrell Campus and Textile Technology Center, is located in the eastern part of Gaston County in Belmont. Originally the North Carolina Vocational and Textile School, it began operation in It was later renamed the North Carolina Center for Applied Textile Technology. In 2005, the Center was transferred to Gaston College, and named the East Campus. In 2010, it was renamed the Kimbrell Campus and Textile Technology Center. The Textile Technology Center provides new and sample product development, product testing, training, and consulting for the textile industry. Curriculum and continuing education classes are also offered at this location. The Gaston College mission statement reflects the Institution s commitment to student learning: Gaston College is an open-door public community college, located in Gaston and Lincoln counties, that promotes student success and lifelong learning through high caliber, affordable, and comprehensive educational programs and services responding to economic and workforce development needs. The average age of Gaston College students is 29, compared to age 27 throughout the North Carolina Community College system ( Get the Facts, 2011). O Neil (2006) explains that adult students are much more likely to take distance education classes than students attending college directly from high school. These students tend to have personal obligations that compete with seated traditional class time. The open-door, open admissions policy of the community college provides individuals who may not otherwise have access to higher education an opportunity to attend college. Gaston College is dedicated to providing high quality, accessible programs and course offerings. Based on student demand and needs, distance education has become a standard method of course delivery for the College. 3

10 Process Used to Identify and Develop QEP QEP Topic Selection In September 2007, Gaston College formed a SACS Leadership Team with the responsibility of overseeing the upcoming reaffirmation process. Knowing that the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) was essential to the process, this team established a QEP Identification Team (ID Team) in the Summer of The ID Team was charged with developing a process for identifying potential QEP topics. The team included representatives from both full-time and part-time faculty, staff, and a student. A complete roster of all team members can be found in Appendix B. The team first met on July 7, 2008 to discuss responsibilities and a timeline for action. In order to begin the search for an appropriate topic for the QEP, the ID Team researched broad-based trends in higher education to identify important issues related to the enhancement of student learning. With the College mission statement in mind, the ID Team analyzed Gaston College s Long Range Plan (developed by campus and community representatives), Gaston College s Strategic Plan, American College Testing (ACT) Outcomes Survey results, Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) results, and employer feedback surveys. Emerging from this institutional research were 17 major topics: Active Learning Assessment Collaborative Learning Advising Retention Distance Education/Technology Critical Thinking Diversity Career Development Developmental Education Social/Soft Skills Reading Math Hiring/Retaining Qualified Faculty Writing Teaching Techniques Professional Development The team gathered input from College and community stakeholders on these topics by conducting an Internet survey (Appendix C). The Board of Trustees, full- and part-time faculty, College staff, community members, and students were asked to complete the survey. Posters, fliers, radio announcements, and QEP buttons were distributed College-wide to promote the survey to ensure broad-based involvement of College constituents. A total of 491 participants completed the survey, including: 98 faculty, 92 staff, 290 students, and 11 community members. The ratings from all groups were pooled. In decreasing order of importance, they were ranked as follows: hiring/retaining qualified faculty, teaching techniques, professional development, career development, distance education/ technology, social/soft skills, assessment, critical thinking, retention, reading, advising, math, diversity, developmental education, writing, collaborative learning, and active learning. The QEP ID Team also analyzed the survey results from each group to look for trends. Based on the analyzed data, the team recommended to the SACS Leadership Team the top seven areas for consideration in rank order: 1. Professional Development/Teaching Techniques 2. Career Development 3. Distance Education/Technology 4. Social/Soft Skills 5. Critical Thinking 6. Advising 7. Lifelong Learning (collaborative/active) During the Fall of 2008, the SACS Leadership Team established a QEP Topic Feasibility Team to narrow the QEP topics recommended by the QEP ID Team. This team was comprised of faculty, staff, and a student (Appendix B). The QEP Topic Feasibility Team met on September 11, They 4

11 analyzed the data from Gaston College s Long Range Plan, Gaston College s Strategic Plan, ACT College Outcomes Survey results, CCSSE results, employer feedback, and the QEP Topic survey results. Four broad areas were identified for further consideration: Career Development Distance Education/Technology Professional Development Transfer and General Advising The Topic Feasibility Team conducted an open forum to discuss these topics and receive input from the College constituencies. In November 2008, both an online and on-campus forum was held to brainstorm and to help narrow the scope to a specific topic. Thirty-four stakeholders participated in these discussions. Using the input gathered during the forums, the Topic Feasibility Team formed subcommittees for each of these potential topic areas. Each subcommittee was responsible for developing a summary, vision, goals, and assessment plan for its assigned topic. The subcommittees presented their work to the group for discussion and each of the potential topics was assessed using a rubric (Appendix D). Based on assessment results, the team ranked the four topics in order of importance: 1. Transfer Advising Center 2. Distance Education/Technology 3. Professional Development 4. General Advising Ranked topics were presented to the SACS Leadership Team in December 2008, where strengths and weaknesses of each topic were discussed. The SACS Leadership Team reviewed these presentations, considering each topic and its impact on student learning. Based on these deliberations they selected Distance Education as the primary focus of the QEP. Distance Education was seen to have the greatest potential impact on both student learning and the College environment given the growth of online courses over the last 10 years. In the academic year, eight online classes were offered. At the time topics were being considered, this number had increased to over 400 classes. Additionally, many traditional classes also had an online resource site for students. While the transfer advising center was initially ranked higher, this center would have affected less than half of the College s student enrollment. A focus on distance education had the potential to affect nearly every student on campus. The decision to pursue Distance Education as the topic of the QEP was sent forward to the College s Executive Council (consisting of the President and Vice-Presidents) for approval. This group approved Distance Education as the QEP topic in Spring A cross-divisional QEP Implementation Team consisting of both faculty and administrators was formed to plan and develop the QEP (Appendix B). 5

12 Planning and development of the QEP meant that the Implementation Team would: 1. Conduct a comprehensive review of the College s 10+ year history with distance education, 2. Evaluate an on-going pilot project and its focus on online course quality, 3. Glean input from students, faculty, and community stakeholders, 4. Focus the QEP topic on local College needs and overall best practices through a thorough literature review. 6

13 Key Terms Many of the terms used in this document are common to community college and distance education settings; however, several terms are defined here to add clarity. Assessment Specialist The person assigned to assist the online instructors participating in the QEP in the development of course level Student Learning Outcomes and standardizing the process for assessment in their high quality online courses. Distance Education/Online Learning The separation of teacher and learning with the majority of the instructional process using educational media to unite teacher and learner and deliver course content (Clark and Verduin, 1989). Faculty Resource Center (FRC) The training center containing eight high-end workstations equipped with the latest software used in online course development and delivery. Faculty are encouraged to utilize the FRC and small group training is being conducted regularly. The FRC will continually be upgraded with the latest technology throughout the life of the QEP. Instructional Technology Specialist (ITS) The person serving as the QEP Director and providing technology training for online instructors. Learning Management System (LMS) A web-based system used to deliver online courses. The College currently uses Blackboard as its LMS. North Carolina Information Highway (NCIH) The NCIH provides data services such as access to the Internet and to state computer systems and video conferencing for Distance Learning. Online Instruction Committee (OIC) The College committee charged with identifying and implementing established best practices in online course design and delivery. Quality Matters (QM) A peer review process designed to certify the quality of online courses, which has received national recognition for fostering continuous improvement in online education and student learning ( Rubric A set of criteria and standards linked to learning objectives that is used to assess a student's performance on papers, projects, essays, and other assignments. Seated Traditional Course A course that meets in a classroom on scheduled days and times. Student Learning Outcomes (course level) Statements that specify what a student will know, will be able to do, or will be able to demonstrate upon completion of a course (Scagliola, 2007). Student Success (course level) The achievement of course Student Learning Outcomes. Virtual Learning Community (VLC) A collaborative effort of all of North Carolina s Community Colleges to increase the quality and availability of online learning and support services. 7

14 Online Courses Gaston College Profile of Distance Education at Gaston College Gaston College is dedicated to providing high quality, accessible programs and course offerings. Distance Education was selected as the focus of the QEP based on broad institutional assessment along with student need and demand. Local, regional, and national data support the importance of distance learning as a viable method of course delivery. Based on Gaston College s enrollment growth in online courses over the last 10 years, distance education has become a standard method of course delivery for the College. Local growth has exceeded national growth rates, providing stronger evidence that distance education is a key issue for the College. Gaston College first offered courses via distance education in the late 1980 s. The first technologies utilized included telecourses by videocassettes and two-way interactive video through the North Carolina Information Highway (NCIH). Web-based courses were initially offered in the late 1990 s. A new position, Director of Distance Education, was created to manage the integration of technology into curriculum courses. Gaston College was initially approved to offer distance education by SACS in its 2000 reaffirmation. During that academic year, eight Internet courses were offered. The following year, the College implemented the Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS) and delivered 44 online courses, serving 768 students. Gaston College continues to use Blackboard and is an active member of the North Carolina Community College System s Virtual Learning Community (VLC). Many Gaston College faculty members have actively participated in the creation and maintenance of VLC courses that are shared by all of the 58 community colleges in North Carolina. The demand for online learning at Gaston College has continued to increase. In academic year , the College delivered 443 online course sections, serving 4,760 students, representing 53% of the total curriculum enrollment. Figure 1 illustrates the growth in online course sections offered since the academic year. Figure 1: Growth of online course sections offered since academic year. Online Course Growth Courses Years The Instructional Technology Council is an affiliate of the American Association of Community Colleges and is a national leader in advancing distance education. It represents higher education institutions in the United States and Canada. In the March 2010 distance education survey Trends in elearning: Tracking the Impact of elearning at Community Colleges (Lokken, 2010), the Council reported that from Fall 2007 to Fall 2008, community colleges nationwide had a 22% increase in distance education enrollments. The Sloan Foundation noted in its 2009 study by Allen & Seaman, Learning on Demand: 8

15 Online Education in the United States, that during Fall 2008 distance education enrollments increased 17% over the previous year. The total student population in higher education increased by less than 2% during the same time frame. While the national increase in distance education enrollment during this time was unprecedented, Gaston College experienced an even greater increase of 34.42% in the number of students enrolled in courses delivered totally online. The increase in popularity of online education in the community college system reflects the diversity of the community college student population. In his August 2010 President s Report, North Carolina Community College System President Dr. R. Scott Ralls commented that distance education allows a diverse, untapped group of students the opportunity to attend their local North Carolina community college. He believes that the key to providing a sound distance education program is to offer high quality online courses. Four of the six initiatives within the Gaston College Strategic Plan (Appendix E) are centered on student learning, demonstrating that Gaston College is committed to serving the needs and demands of the local population. As seen by the unprecedented growth in online course enrollment, students are demanding courses offered in this modality. In order to provide online students with a quality education and to be true to the College mission and strategic plan, a process to ensure online course quality is crucial. The following section describes the Gaston College Quality Initiative, a voluntary pilot project the College s Online Instruction Committee (OIC) established during Fall 2007 and continued through Fall This project provided a foundation for the selection of online course quality as the topic for the College s QEP. Development of Online Course Standards The Distance Education Advisory Committee was formed in Fall 1999 in response to the demand for more online offerings and a College commitment to online course quality. This committee subsequently became the Online Instruction Committee (OIC) in The purpose of the OIC is to recommend best practices in online course delivery to improve student learning. Before that time no standardized mechanisms were in place to ensure that all online course offerings followed best practices in distance education. The demand for distance education resulted in College faculty creating and offering many online courses without receiving formal training. Subsequently, in academic year the OIC began the Gaston College Online Quality Initiative pilot project in response to the student demand for more online offerings. The Gaston College Quality Initiative pilot project consisted of standards developed on nationallyrecognized best practices, including Quality Matters. Quality Matters is a peer review process designed to certify the quality of online courses and has received national recognition for fostering continuous improvement in online education and student learning ( The locallydeveloped standards consisted of five areas of focus: 1) The Student Experience, 2) Course Materials, 3) Assessment, 4) Learner Engagement and Support, and 5) Course Technology. The standards included three levels of certification consisting of 35 review standards (17) Level I, (12) Level II, and (6) Level III thus enabling faculty to design quality online courses in stages, to not be overwhelmed, and to voluntarily submit their courses for evaluation (Appendix VI). The pilot project s quality standards were introduced to faculty in Fall Stipends were approved by the Gaston College Executive Council for voluntary faculty participation in the pilot project. Faculty with courses meeting Level I standards received a $200 stipend. Faculty with courses meeting Level II standards received $600, and faculty with courses meeting Level III standards received $800. A review team was formed to evaluate each submitted course and was comprised of three members: one as the subject matter expert, one from the same academic division, and one from a different academic 9

16 division. A member was designated as the chair of the team to coordinate each review. Course reviewers were given a stipend of $500 for every eight courses reviewed. The Director of Distance Education and OIC members provided training to interested faculty on the quality standards and the procedures for becoming a course reviewer. Between Fall 2007 and Fall 2010, a total investment of $114,500 was distributed to faculty who volunteered to participate in the pilot project. Table 1: Represents a summary of courses meeting the quality standards by academic year Academic Year No. Courses Level I Level II Level III Fall Totals A survey of faculty involved in the pilot project indicated that a more positive learning experience was created as a result of strengthening online course quality. Faculty stated the following: The standards helped facilitate a better learning experience and a more efficient learning environment. The courses are now more in compliance with our accreditation and best teaching practices. I was able to see gaps in information provided to the students to meet the learning objectives. Clarification of standards...more training and consistent interpretation of the rubric needed. The OIC identified that a flaw of the pilot project was that it focused more on course structure rather than student engagement and effective design of learner-content interaction. Interpretation of the standards created ambiguity and disparity during the review process Through the process of planning and development of the QEP, refinement of the existing pilot project became a primary topic of discussion. Participating faculty agreed that the standards needed to be updated, the evaluation process should be refined, student and other stakeholder input must be obtained, and a formal assessment process implemented to measure the project s success. 10

17 Planning and Development of the QEP Upon recommendation from the SACS Leadership Team, Gaston College president, Dr. Patricia Skinner, selected Dr. Betsy Jones, Dean of Business and Information Technology/Chief Distance Education Officer, and Tonia Broome, Associate Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences/Mathematics Instructor, as co-chairs of the QEP Implementation Team. The initial eight member team included faculty representatives from various academic disciplines and staff involved in distance education. The QEP Implementation Team had its opening meeting on May 11, The eight members reviewed the pilot project rubric and brainstormed the gap between the current and desired condition of distance education at the College. Ideas were generated and divided into five primary categories including: 1) online course quality, 2) student preparedness for online learning, 3) student services to support online learning, 4) technology and support for online courses and services, and 5) faculty training. At the next meeting on July 21, 2009, members of the group were charged with forming a subcommittee to begin work on these five areas. Additional subcommittees were formed to oversee QEP assessment, writing, and marketing. Two additional members were added to the Implementation Team to assist with the process. Subcommittee chairperson job descriptions and duties were distributed; the literature review for the related topic was included among those duties. Subcommittee work began during Fall 2009 and continued through Spring Ultimately, over 70 students, faculty, and staff were included in the planning and implementation subcommittee membership (Appendix B). On November 23, 2009, the QEP Implementation Team reconvened to report on subcommittee progress and to discuss the timeline for QEP development and implementation. Members also discussed the team s relationship with the Online Instruction Committee (OIC) which has the responsibility to recommend best practices in online course delivery to improve student learning. It was decided that the OIC would be responsible for updating the quality standards and refining the evaluation process. On January 26, 2010, the group met again to report on subcommittee work and to brainstorm QEP objectives under each of the five categories. The QEP Implementation Team next met on March 9, 2010 to refine the objectives and to schedule brainstorming sessions for faculty, staff, and students. Sessions were held throughout the months of March and April and were led by key faculty and staff members. Over 30 students participated in the student session and offered their opinions on the strengths and weaknesses of the distance education program. The following are representative of student suggestions: More online course offerings More standardization and consistency in course design Improved course content Improved faculty response More interactivity with faculty Required student preparation for the online environment For details of the questions and responses from the student session, see Appendix G. Eighty-four faculty and staff members participated in brainstorming sessions, providing valuable input for each topic. A blog was also created to allow faculty and staff who could not attend the brainstorming sessions to comment on each of the topics. The ideas from the sessions were also posted on the blog for further conversation at Three central themes emerged from the 11

18 brainstorming sessions and blog entries. These themes cited below aligned with the ideas generated by the Implementation Team during its opening meeting. Quality Standards. An updated quality standards rubric needs to be developed, using the pilot project as a launching point. A template should be created to standardize the course format, making course development easier for faculty and improving the student s learning experience. Course content should be more comprehensive and student/teacher collaboration increased. Additionally the team agreed an emphasis needs to be placed on compliance with the American Disabilities Act (ADA). Technology and Training. Appropriate technology, and faculty training is needed to deliver quality online learning. Collaboration technology is necessary to increase student engagement. Student Preparedness. Students should be aware of the skills necessary to succeed in the online environment. At the very least, students should be familiar with the Blackboard Learning Management System and have a basic knowledge of technology. Date Table 2: Represents a summary of the brainstorming session topics and participants Topic Number of Participants March 29, 2010 Student Services in the Online Environment 28 March 31, 2010 General Student Question and Answer Session 32 April 13, 2010 Technology to Support Quality Online Instruction 20 April 22, 2010 Student Preparedness for Online Learning 13 April 27, 2010 Faculty Training 23 The ideas from the brainstorming sessions were distributed at the QEP Implementation Team s final meeting of the academic year held on May 6, Final reports and literature review findings from the subcommittees were presented. Assessment of the QEP was also a major topic of this meeting. Based on the recommendation of the assessment subcommittee and current practices and literature, the decision was made to use course level Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) as a direct measure of the QEP. Although the QEP would impact all online courses, the committee decided to track and assess a limited number of courses in order to remain within a manageable framework. As a result of the subcommittee work and recommendations, it was determined that proper implementation and assessment of the QEP would require significant leadership beyond the QEP Implementation Team. A request was made to hire a full-time Instructional Technology Specialist to serve as the QEP Director and provide technology training for online instructors. The job description for this position is located in Appendix H. The position was filled on July 1, 2010 with an internal candidate, Karen Duncan, who was familiar with the project and dedicated to Gaston College and the goals of the QEP. Karen Duncan was formerly the chair of both the Business and Office Administration departments, a member of the OIC, and a model online instructor. She was added to the Implementation Team. During the Summer 2010, the QEP Implementation Team co-chairs met weekly to finalize the timeline, create action plans based on input from the subcommittee work and the brainstorming sessions, and finalize the assessment plan. At the July 13, 2010 QEP Implementation Team meeting, the members approved the timeline and the action and assessment plans presented. 12

19 The QEP Marketing subcommittee held a contest to find an appropriate slogan for the QEP. Students, faculty, and staff were encouraged to participate. Through a College-wide vote, the winner was Strengthening Academic Internet Learning (SAIL) which inspired a nautical theme. The Implementation Team kicked off the QEP planning and development year with a meeting on August 31, At this meeting the planning and implementation phase committees (see Appendix B) were established and given their respective charges to create a proposed action plan and budget for each of their areas. On September 8, 2010, the co-chairs updated the SACS Leadership Team on the progress of the planning and development for the QEP and presented draft documents of the planning year timeline for their approval. During September 2010, the planning and implementation phase committee co-chairs established their committee membership and met to create a timeline for attaining the goals of the planning year ( ). On October 4, 2010, they presented their committee membership roster and timeline to the Implementation Team, and on November 22, 2010, the group met for committee updates. Also during this time, the Student Learning Outcomes and QEP Assessment committees were creating an assessment plan for each of the five years of the QEP, and the Marketing Team held a QEP logo contest. A professional firm took ideas from each of 14 submitted entries and designed a logo that reflects the spirit of the slogan, the focus of the project, and the College brand. Students, faculty, and staff who participated in the contest received a gift card to the College Café along with a certificate of participation. Using the results of the literature review, best practices, and College community input, the QEP planning and implementation committees made the following recommendations in support of the QEP in December 2010: Create a new quality online course rubric that not only addresses course structure, but requires quality course content and student/teacher collaboration Purchase an online collaboration tool to support and connect the distance learner to the College community Create a companion guide to assist faculty in the interpretation of the rubric Create incentives for faculty participation in SAIL Create incentives for review teams for SAIL Create a review team structure that supports SAIL Create a course template that supports students desires that online course structure be standardized Continue to upgrade the College technology infrastructure Provide necessary equipment to faculty for the creation of quality online courses Provide necessary software to faculty for the creation of quality online courses Provide training to faculty to assist in the development and delivery of quality online courses 13

20 Continue offsite managed hosting with Blackboard, Inc. Provide a readiness tool to help students determine their level of proficiency in prerequisite skills for online learning Offer online tutoring software to provide online students with virtual learning assistance The QEP Implementation Team discussed the scope of the project and its potential assessment plan. After meeting with several QEP and distance education experts, including Dr. Barry Goldstein, SACSCOC staff member, and Dr. Nancy Cooley, President of Florida State College in Jacksonville s Open College, several concerns emerged: While all of the distance education issues raised by the QEP planning and implementation teams were important, the focus was too broad. It was agreed that a focus of improved course quality would provide the greatest impact on student learning. Using course level Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) to measure student learning is appropriate; however, investigation into the pilot project revealed that course level SLOs were not being measured consistently between online and seated traditional courses, deeming the comparative data unreliable. Since course level SLOs would be the direct assessment measure of the QEP, SAIL needed to be modified to include the standardization of course level SLOs assessment. The scope of the project needed to be refined. In order to effectively measure its success, an instructor participating in SAIL would have to: Step 1. Step 2. Step 3. Step 4. Step 5. Step 6. Step 7. Step 8. Step 9. Standardize course level Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) Standardize SLOs assessment and process for administration of assessment Teach the course and collect baseline data during a semester for the online and all seated, traditional course sections Collect and submit baseline data for both direct and indirect assessments to Assessment Committee for analysis Collect student survey data in online course Use baseline data to establish targets for success comparing online course to seated, traditional course Apply SAIL standards according to the process Teach the newly-developed course Collect and submit data for both direct and indirect assessments to Assessment Committee for analysis Step 10. Collect student survey data in online course Step 11. Analyze course assessment data and compare to previously established targets Step 12. Report findings to the QEP Implementation Team 14